Method For Making Concrete And Concrete Structures Having 3-Dimensional Carbon Nanomaterial Networks

Abstract

A method for making concrete and concrete structures includes: providing a liquid admixture with a carbon nanomaterial in a liquid aqueous or organic solvent/compound mixture, mixing the liquid admixture with cement and water in a dosage selected to form a concrete mix having a carbon nanomaterial structure having individual carbon nanomaterial particles with a unit cell overlap, and hardening the concrete mix to form a concrete matrix with the carbon nanomaterial forming a 3-dimensional carbon nanomaterial network incorporated into the concrete matrix. The 3-dimensional carbon nanomaterial network has a shielding effect against high frequency electromagnetic pulses and other radiofrequency signals.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for making concrete comprising:
 providing a liquid admixture comprising a carbon nanomaterial having a predetermined percentage range by mass of admixture in a liquid aqueous or organic solvent/compound mixture, with the carbon nanomaterial in a pre-dispersed and deagglomerated state;   mixing the liquid admixture with cement and water in a dosage selected to form a concrete mix having a carbon nanomaterial structure comprised of individual carbon nanomaterial particles having a unit cell overlap; and   hardening the concrete mix to form a concrete matrix with the carbon nanomaterial forming a 3-dimensional carbon nanomaterial network incorporated into the concrete matrix.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising building a structure using the concrete, and shielding the structure from radiofrequency and electromagnetic pulse radiation using the concrete. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dosage for an aqueous admixture in the concrete mix is at least 0.6 gallons per yard of concrete (gpy)=3 L/m 3 . 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dosage for an organic solvent/compound mixture in the concrete mix is greater than 8 oz/cy=0.3 L/m 3 . 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the carbon nanomaterial in the concrete mix totals at least 25 g/m 3 =0.04214 lb/cy. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using the concrete for electromagnetic pulse (EMP) protection and radiofrequency shielding. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the admixture includes a dispersion stabilizing chemistry for the carbon nanomaterial. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined percentage range comprises 0.4% to 1.9% mass percentage of total mass of admixture. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the liquid aqueous or organic solvent/compound mixture includes a superplasticizer surfactant having a 2% to 9% mass percentage of total mass of admixture, a nano-silica based compound having a 5% to 21% mass percentage of total mass of admixture, and water having a 57% to 93% mass percentage of total mass of admixture. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the liquid aqueous or organic solvent/compound mixture includes an organic compound, which has a functional group that contains a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair as a part of the admixture, to increase early and/or late strength development in the concrete. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein a quantity of the organic compound is from 0.5 to 95% by mas of the admixture. 
     
     
         12 . A concrete comprising:
 a concrete matrix comprised of cement, aggregate and a carbon nanomaterial having a predetermined percentage range by mass of the concrete with the carbon nanomaterial forming a 3-dimensional carbon nanomaterial network incorporated into the concrete matrix.